Allentown Man Accused Of Choking His Ex-girlfriend

March 28, 1994|by KAREN YURCONIC, The Morning Call

An Allentown man with a history of domestic disputes was charged early yesterday with breaking into the apartment of his ex-girlfriend, who had a court order to keep him away, and choking her until she nearly lost consciousness.

Kenneth Jeffrey Martin, 29, who formerly lived with Pamela Post at 2644 Prospect Ave., Apt. 1, is in jail on charges he broke in just before 1 a.m., choked her, ripped a gold necklace from her neck and stole her keys, police said.

The Allentown Police Department had a warrant for Martin for a March 9 incident in which they said he violated the PFA by going to Post's home.

Early yesterday Martin broke a glass patio door at her apartment, and when he found her inside, grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the floor, according to court documents filed by the arresting officer, Patrolman Bruce Zimmerman.

Martin was allegedly drunk when he committed the other crimes with which he is charged: burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, recklessly endangering Post, stalking and harassment, domestic simple assault, violating the PFA, and two counts of robbery.

Post was choked until she nearly lost consciousness, police said. She had redness and bruising. It could not be determined if she sought medical treatment.

A little over a year ago, Martin was charged by Allentown police with violating a PFA after he took Post's car keys away because he felt she was too drunk to drive. Police arrested her for drunken driving and were obligated to arrest him on the PFA violation, because although the two were living together at the time, she had the court order saying he could not harass her.

Police said Martin is "a repeat PFA offender and has been arrested numerous times for these violations," and at the time of yesterday's alleged offenses was out on bail for other PFA violations.

He was arraigned before District Justice John Dugan and committed to Lehigh County Prison on $20,000 total bail -- $5,000 for yesterday's PFA violation, $5,000 for the March 9 violation, and $10,000 for the other charges stemming from the break-in.